Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage Bloghttp://www.seacoastrealty.com/blog/sort_entrydatetime-desc/ I.T. Help Desk & Web Stats for JanuaryJanuary was another productive month for our one-of-a-kind I.T. Help Desk and our world-class website. We saw improvement across the board in our Help Desk stats as well as website traffic! Our I.T Help desk closed 274 more tickets in January than December, and their average response time (that is how long it takes an actual human to respond to a help ticket) dropped yet again&mdash;on average, help tickets received a human response within 3 minutes--that is an improvement of 1 minute and 24 seconds over last month! It is important to note that some issues require working in concert with other entities (Zillow, or DotLoop, for example) to trouble shoot and solve problems. These help tickets can take longer to close, but approximately 71% of help tickets in January were closed in under 18 minutes!Due to the diligent work of our SEO team and Advantage Marketing, our in-house, full-service marketing agency, SeaCoastRealty.com received 10,487 more visits than in December, and our agents&rsquo; web pages have been viewed 22,813 more times.&nbsp; 2,584 more referrals came from Facebook in January!&nbsp;Our stellar I.T. Help Desk and expertly-designed website are just two of a vast array of advantages Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage offers our agents.Interested in&nbsp;Joining Our Team?&nbsp; &nbsp;http://www.seacoastrealty.com/blog/2323/i.t.-help-desk-&-web-stats-for-january/ Mon, 12 Feb 2018 12:00:00 -0500Valentine's in Southeastern NCValentine&rsquo;s Day is right around the corner, and here in Southeastern North Carolina, we are blessed to be surrounded with countless opportunities for a perfectly romantic day or night. We asked our agents and staff to tell us their favorite spot to take a sweetheart for a Valentine&rsquo;s to remember.&nbsp;&ldquo;There's something special to us about Fort Fisher. Not just the beach, but to walk through those trees and catch the rays of light on your sweetheart's face....Nothing like it&rdquo; &ndash;Sherwood Strickland&ldquo;We LOVE to go to the south end of Topsail Beach, maybe walk the point, if day time. Look for dolphins, sea glass, etc. then end up at the Beach Shop Grill in Topsail Beach for dinner, and lastly (Brians fave) walk out onto the pier over the ocean. There is also an old fashion roller rink out there too!&rdquo; &ndash;Rebecca Moxey&ldquo;River walk downtown and stopping here and there for drinks and little bits of nibbles.&rdquo; &ndash;Darlene Parrow&ldquo;Parsons Table Restaurant in Little River&rdquo; &ndash;Kibbi Rieber&ldquo;If it is a pretty day, take the boat to Masonboro and have a big bonfire and bottle of wine.&rdquo; &ndash;Barbara Pugh&ldquo;We love to take a sunset cruise on the boat. Anchor up in a bay off the Intracoastal Waterway with&nbsp;Masonboro Island in the background. Take a prepared picnic, a nice bottle of wine &amp; watch the birds play in the marsh grass. Very relaxing!&rdquo; &ndash;Melissa Dunn&ldquo;There&rsquo;s just nothing like a day on the water. If you don&rsquo;t have your own boat, you can still spend a few lovely hours sailing the local waterways with a charter like&nbsp;Sail Ava Grace out of Carolina Beach.&rdquo; &ndash;Mary Blake&ldquo;Well I bring my four-legged boyfriend wherever the wind takes us, because there is nothing like a new adventure to make special memories.&rdquo; &ndash;Shanon Ives&nbsp;"Kayaking over to&nbsp;Zeke's Island from&nbsp;Ft. Fisher or taking the boat to a hideaway creek off&nbsp;Topsail Island with our cocktail travel set and cooler of food to fish and float by the moon light."&nbsp;&ndash;Jodi Crumpler&ldquo;Crossfire Indoor Paintball, because there&rsquo;s nothing like a paintball to the thigh area that says, &lsquo;I love you, but put your clothes IN the hamper, not BESIDE it,&rsquo; and, &lsquo;Yes, that was the toddler up at 2am while you were snoring.&rsquo;&rdquo; &ndash;Meghan Riley&ldquo;I recently wandered around&nbsp;Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson on a photo trip at the recommendation of our&nbsp;Leland Office when asked for can&rsquo;t-miss spots in their market. History buffs, nature lovers, and simple appreciators of peace and quiet would absolutely adore this place. A pre-Revolutionary port on the Cape Fear River, it features earthworks that were once part of the Confederate fort as well as stone and brick structures dating back to the mid-1700s. But, to me, the real gem at Brunswick Town is the network of trails that wind around the earthworks, past a number of outdoor exhibits, and along the Cape Fear&rsquo;s shore. There&rsquo;s this one spot overlooking the river&rsquo;s edge where a huge live oak overarches the trail with sprawling limbs dripping with Spanish moss and extending over the water. It&rsquo;s positively magical. There&rsquo;s a bench around the trunk of the gnarled tree where I could&rsquo;ve sat for hours in the dappled shade.&rdquo; &ndash;Honor RuddWhether you're looking for a romantic getaway for you and your sweetheart, or just a place to get away, the Cape Fear region is rife with possibilities for a Valentine's Day to remember.&nbsp;http://www.seacoastrealty.com/blog/2321/valentine's-in-southeastern-nc/ Fri, 09 Feb 2018 12:00:00 -0500CONGRATULATIONS Top Agents and Teams - December 2017Wilmington OfficeTop Listing Agent: Judy McGuireTop Selling Agent: Jennifer FarmerTop Small Listing Team:&nbsp;Michelle Gurrera &amp; AssociatesTop Small Selling Team:&nbsp;Gruner Residential&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Top Large Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;Team Gale&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Carolina Beach OfficeTop Listing Agent:&nbsp;Dave MartinTop Selling Agent:&nbsp;Margaret YoungTop Small Listing Team:&nbsp;Cori McQueen TeamTop Small Selling Team:&nbsp;Newman Group&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Brunswick OfficesTop Listing &amp; Selling Agent:&nbsp;Sharon ZakTop Small Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;Cronick &amp; AssociatesTop Large Listing Team:&nbsp;Rosado &amp; Associates&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Top Large Selling Team:&nbsp;Hank Troscianiec &amp; Associates&nbsp;&nbsp;Jacksonville OfficeTop Listing &amp; Selling Agent:&nbsp;Jenna MortonTop Small Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;40 SailsTop Large Listing Team:&nbsp;Terri Alphin Smith &amp; Co.Top Large Selling Team:&nbsp;Castro Real Estate Team&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Leland OfficeTop Listing Agent:&nbsp;Daryl BundyTop Selling Agent:&nbsp;Linda KillianTop Small Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;Karen Schwartz TeamTop Large Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;Shawn Horton &ndash; Trusst Marketing Group&nbsp;&nbsp;Onlsow/Pender OfficesTop Listing Agent:&nbsp;Julie JadickTop Selling Agent:&nbsp;Lottie KoenigTop Small Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;Christina Block &amp; AssociatesTop Large Listing Team:&nbsp;Shirley Howell TeamTop Large Selling Team:&nbsp;North Carolina Home Group&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;South Brunswick OfficesTop Listing Agent:&nbsp;Frances WarnerTop Selling Agent:&nbsp;Denise YoungTop Small Listing Team:&nbsp;Enzor &amp; AssociatesTop Small Selling Team:&nbsp;The Kozel Team&nbsp;&nbsp;Midtown OfficeTop Listing Agent:&nbsp;Jeff DominTop Selling Agent:&nbsp;Marianne PsilosTop Small Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;The Wilson TeamTop Large Listing &amp; Selling Team:&nbsp;Costin Real Estate Group&nbsp;&nbsp;Overall Top ProducersHank Troscianiec &amp; AssociatesCastro Real Estate Team&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gruner Residential&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jennie Stevens TeamTerri Alphin Smith &amp; Co.North Carolina Home Group&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Kozel TeamShawn Horton &ndash; Trusst Marketing GroupRosado &amp; Associates&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Team Galehttp://www.seacoastrealty.com/blog/2312/congratulations-top-agents-and-teams---december-2017/ Fri, 26 Jan 2018 12:00:00 -0500Congratulations 3rd Quarter 2017 Best of the Best!Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage is proud to announce the following &ldquo;Best of the Best&rdquo; award winners. These sales associates and teams excelled during the 3rd Quarter of 2017 as the top producers for the #1 real estate company in Southeastern North Carolina.Wilmington OfficeGruner ResidentialJennie Stevens TeamBarbara Pugh TeamTeam GaleJessica Edwards &amp; Associates &ndash; The Carolinas FinestThe Cameron TeamRob Warwick TeamChris Baynes &amp; AssociatesSherwood Strickland GroupMichelle Gurrera &amp; AssociatesDebi ByrdBrett Knowles TeamSabourin HomesJennifer FarmerCynthia Strickland TeamBill SaffoRokoski, Blake &amp; AssociatesChris Luther &ndash; Team WilmingtonHolly Overton Marketing GroupSandy Monroe &amp; AssociatesKatie Moore Real Estate TeamDomenico Grillo Real Estate TeamRiver Bluffs Sales TeamMaDonna McMahonCatherine LeaBrad NorrisBob HestikindJosie GodwinBrunswickHank Troscianiec &amp; AssociatesRosado &amp; AssociatesEmily Willetts TeamDoug Bris-BoisGinger HarperThe Krueger TeamAlma BouchardMidtownShane Register TeamCostin Real Estate GroupThe Wilson TeamMelissa DunnRushell BongiornoJeff Domin Realty GroupAllison DonovanPaul AllsupConnie CoxLouie ChircoTopsailNorth Carolina Home GroupChristina Pitz TeamCarolina BeachCori McQueen TeamTammy Ebersole TeamChris SantucciThe Moran TeamOak IslandCronick &amp; AssociatesMargaret BowenCalabash&nbsp;The Hope TeamEdie CaudillFrank SaubersShallotte&nbsp;The Frances Warner Real Estate GroupThe Kozel TeamEnzor &amp; AssociatesDavid EnzorLisa DamicoDenise YoungLelandKaren Schwartz TeamShawn Horton - Trusst Marketing GroupJames Diaz &ndash; Home James RealtySean SkutnikEden GilliamDaryl BundyHampsteadShirley Howell TeamChristina Block &amp; AssociatesThe Fortunato TeamLori Smith&rsquo;s Hometown TeamKelly WigginsNora RuehleHolden BeachThe Andrews TeamLinda StephensJacksonvilleCastro Real Estate Team40 SailsTerri Alphin Smith &amp; Co.Jenna MortonFrost Real Estate TeamMarvin HenryWendy FountainTeam Triple AdvantageKim PerkinsMelinda HighersCarolyn HallAl WagnerSneads FerryLottie KoenigKristen DowningChristina Asburyhttp://www.seacoastrealty.com/blog/2314/congratulations-3rd-quarter-2017-best-of-the-best!/ Fri, 26 Jan 2018 12:00:00 -0500Easy & Affordable Home UpgradesWhen it comes to listing your home for sale, you may be curious what you can do to make it more appealing to prospective buyers. We asked our agents for their best tips on upgrades you can make around the house that don&rsquo;t require a major investment of time or funds, but will help buyers see what you see&mdash;a place to call Home.&nbsp;&ldquo;Look at the details around cabinets, sinks, tile, bathroom tubs and showers. Caulk will make your space look fresh and not aged. Look at your crown molding as well, small separations in corners are all due to mitering errors and a small bead of caulk will bring it all together. Power wash sidewalks, walkways and patios to remove mold and algae and make everything bright and fresh.&rdquo; &ndash;Heather Shargo&ldquo;One word &ndash; PAINT!&nbsp; It&rsquo;s the cheapest way to make the biggest impact.&nbsp; Paint makes everything look new, and fresh and clean.&nbsp; Also, remove clutter.&nbsp; Anything smaller than a cantaloupe, consider packing it up.&nbsp; Small items are a distraction in pictures and for buyers.&nbsp; Take pictures of your rooms and look at them&hellip; what&rsquo;s distracting or needs to be removed?&nbsp; Look at your home from a buyer&rsquo;s point of view.&rdquo; &ndash;Melanie Cameron&ldquo;A fresh coat of paint on the front door and/or shutters for that first impression driving up. If you can afford to do so, a fresh coat of paint on the rooms you immediately see as you open the door. You only have a minute or less to make that first impression GREAT!&rdquo; &ndash;Barbara Andrews&ldquo;Pressure wash and clean up the yard! Lots of buyers will simply ride by the house and look at it from the outside to see if they even want to see the inside. Curb appeal makes a big difference.&rdquo; &ndash;Christina Asbury&ldquo;Clean like you&rsquo;ve never cleaned before! A sparkling home makes a great first impression &amp; lets buyers know your home is well maintained.&rdquo; &ndash;Melissa Dunn&ldquo;De-clutter, paint, carpet cleaning or replacement if necessary and clean the entire house. If the interior is not a problem then spruce up the outside for more curb appeal with flowering shrubs and fresh mulch.&rdquo; &ndash;Tara English&ldquo;A new mailbox.&rdquo; &ndash;Lottie Koenig&ldquo;Front entrance/door/porch. Paint door, new light fixtures, flowers or plants, welcome mat.&rdquo; &ndash;Terry Thompkins&ldquo;Don't forget to clean the fan blades and replace lights that are not working.&rdquo; &ndash;Tamera Davis&ldquo;Replace old, chipped or plain bathroom mirrors with framed decorative ones. It gives the room an upgraded look and is fairly inexpensive to do.&rdquo; &ndash;Kim Mullis&ldquo;Curb appeal is a buyer&rsquo;s 1st impression. Clean up yard debris, trim bushes/trees, gutters and plant some flowers for an easy pop. Make sure it&rsquo;s easy for buyers to see the home as well as enter it.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ndash;Debbie Williams&ldquo;Clean and spruce up the front door and mailbox. First impressions while opening up the lockbox.&rdquo; &ndash;Catherine Lea&ldquo;Replace outdated lighting fixtures and/or fans. A simple way to give a more up to date look.&rdquo; &ndash;Karen Schwartz&ldquo;Professionally clean.&rdquo; &ndash;Tracy Lewchuk&ldquo;Declutter! Clean! Paint!&rdquo; &ndash;Tom O&rsquo;Laughlin&ldquo;New door and cabinet hardware, along with updated kitchen and bathroom faucets can change a room and it&rsquo;s a very inexpensive update.&rdquo; &ndash;Amy Helm&ldquo;Power wash your fence, driveway and front steps. Make sure fence's gate mechanisms are sound &amp; work as they should. No driveway? Use an edger, refill stones, pretty it up. Paint front steps, doorframe, if needed. Put up new house numbers. Keep pleasant (no floral or pine) air fresheners active, if needed (dogs? cats? weird odors?). If home is occupied, bake a pan of cookies or a pie before a big showing - makes home smell &amp; feel homey. Put away toothbrushes &amp; all personal hygiene items &amp; products, if possible. Keep toilet lids down. If trash cans are on display in kitchen &amp; baths, do not look new, buy new ones&rdquo; &ndash;Peggy Groneman&ldquo;Declutter, clean from top to bottom inside and out, fix/repair eyesores. Shine like brand new!&rdquo; &ndash;Cheri Prince&ldquo;Fresh pops of colors around the house. Throw pillows and throws, fresh flowers.&rdquo; &mdash;Darlene Parrow&ldquo;Make the front of your home look fabulous! While the real estate agent is getting the key from the lock box the buyers are looking around carefully. Weeding, landscaping, fresh blooming flowers in pots, sparkling windows, cleaned gutters, painted door frames and no spider or wasp nests!&rdquo; &ndash;Karen CoyleOur real estate professionals agree, first impressions are absolutely key. Curb appeal and a fresh, clean space go a long, long way towards making a house feel like Home!http://www.seacoastrealty.com/blog/2310/easy-&-affordable-home-upgrades/ Wed, 24 Jan 2018 12:00:00 -0500